91. Be brave and start from now! (cont.)

'Utbah said, "If you think that they were better than you, With adversaries then how did they worship the gods you have insulted? And if you think that you are better than them, then speak so we may hear you say it." Before the Prophet could respond, 'Utbah lashed out in rage, "By Allah, we have seen no other man who has brought such great a calamity to a nation as you have done. You have disunited us, split our ranks, insulted our religion, and brought disgrace to us as everyone is now saying that Quraysh have a magician! There is nothing left to wait for except the moment when we brandish our swords and begin to kill each other." 'Utbah was displaying his anger as the Prophet listened silently, sitting well composed. 'Utbah then decided to bargain with the Prophet , so he said, "If you are doing all this with a view to gaining wealth, then we will join together to give you greater riches than any person from Quraysh has possessed. If ambition moves you, we will make you our chief. If you desire kingship we will readily offer you that. If you are under the power of an evil spirit which seems to haunt and dominate you so that you cannot shake off its yoke, then we shall call in skilful physicians to cure you." 'Utbah continued to speak in this unworthy manner with the Prophet , trying to bargain with him, whilst the Prophet remained silent and calm. After 'Utbah had made the offer of leadership, wealth, women and even treatment for insanity, he fell silent, waiting for a response. The Prophet raised his gaze to him and said, "Have you finished, O Abu al-Walid?" 'Utbah was not surprised at the manners of the Prophet , With adversaries and simply replied, "Yes." The Prophet said, "Now listen to me." "Alright", said 'Utbah. The Prophet then recited the verses, "In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Ha-Meem.A revelation from Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.A Book whereof the verses are explained in detail; — a Quran in Arabic for people who know. Giving glad tidings and warning, but most of them turn away, so they listen not." The Prophet continued to recite the verse as 'Utbah listened. Suddenly, 'Utbah sat on the ground and his body shook. He placed his hands behind him and rested on them as he listened to the verses. The Prophet continued to recite until he approached the verse, "If they turn away, then say to them: I warn you of a thunderbolt similar to that which struck 'Aad and Thamud." 'Utbah was utterly terrified when he heard this warning and threat of punishment. He jumped up and placed his hand on the mouth of the Prophet to prevent him from reciting further. But the Prophet continued to recite until the verse of prostration, after which he prostrated. When he raised his head up from prostration, he gazed at 'Utbah and said, "Did you hear that, O 'Utbah?" "Yes", replied 'Utbah. The Prophet said, "Now, it is up to you." 'Utbah left to go back to his companions as they impatiently waited for him. When he approached them they said to each With adversaries other, "I swear by Allah, he has returned with a different complexion!" When he sat with them they asked, "What happened, O Abu al-Walid?" He said, "What happened is that I heard words the like of which I have never heard before. By Allah, they weren't the words of poetry, magic or soothsaying. O people of Quraysh! I request you to heed my advice and grant the man full freedom to pursue his goals, in which case you could safely detach yourselves from him. I swear that his words will one day triumph. O people! I heard him say: 'In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Ha-Meem. A revelation from Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful – to his words – I warn you of a thunderbolt similar to that which struck 'Aad and Thamud.' As he said that, I placed my hand on his mouth, and begged him, in the name of our ties of kinship, to stop! You know very well that when Muhammad says something he doesn't lie. I feared that punishment may descend upon you." Abu al-Walid then remained silent as he reflected, while his companions stared at him. He then said, "By Allah, there is sweetness in what he says. There is beauty in what he says, as if its top is fruit and its bottom is water. It is overwhelming and cannot be subdued. It obliterates everything beneath it. No man can say this.